MillerCoors

MillerCoors was a United States beer-brewing company created by SABMiller and Molson Coors to combine their American brewing, marketing, and sales operations. The joint venture was announced in October 2007, received regulatory approval on June 5, 2008, and began operating on July 1, 2008, after completion on June 30. Its formation brought together the U.S. activities associated with Miller and Coors within a single operating structure while leaving the parent companies with ownership interests in the venture. The company operated in a highly competitive American beer market and managed a portfolio that included mainstream domestic labels as well as brands positioned in light beer, specialty, import, and craft-oriented segments. Miller Lite, Coors Light, and Blue Moon were among the best-known offerings associated with its portfolio. The business also held U.S. and Puerto Rico rights to additional brands, including Redd's and imported labels such as Peroni, Grolsch, and Pilsner Urquell, under the ownership arrangements that followed the 2016 transaction. MillerCoors's ownership changed as part of the proposed combination of Anheuser-Busch InBev and SABMiller. U.S. regulatory approval for that transaction required SABMiller to divest its MillerCoors interests and related Miller brand rights. On October 11, 2016, SABMiller sold its stake in MillerCoors to Molson Coors for approximately US$12 billion, making Molson Coors the venture's sole owner. The transaction also gave Molson Coors control of the relevant Miller portfolio in the United States and Puerto Rico and helped establish it as the world's third-largest brewer, according to the referenced account. The company subsequently reduced its physical footprint. MillerCoors announced in September 2015 that it would close its Eden, North Carolina brewery in September 2016, citing declining corporate sales. The proposed closure also became the subject of litigation involving Pabst Brewing Company and Blue Ribbon Intermediate Holdings, which sought to continue producing Pabst beers at the facility. The parties settled the dispute in late November 2018 before a verdict was issued. MillerCoors ceased to be the continuing corporate identity during Molson Coors's broader restructuring. On January 1, 2020, Molson Coors Brewing Company changed its name to Molson Coors Beverage Company and reorganized its operations into North American and European business units. The MillerCoors name was retired as a corporate brand, with the former business consolidated into Molson Coors North America. The individual beer brands associated with the former company continued to be managed within the Molson Coors portfolio, but MillerCoors itself is best treated as a defunct corporate entity rather than an independent current brewer.

MillerCoors originated in a planned combination of the United States operations of SABMiller and Molson Coors. The companies announced the joint venture in October 2007, seeking to integrate their American brewing, marketing, and sales activities. Regulatory approval arrived on June 5, 2008. The transaction was completed on June 30, and MillerCoors began operating on July 1, 2008. The resulting company managed a substantial portfolio of beer brands in the United States. Its best-known labels included Miller Lite, Coors Light, and Blue Moon, while the portfolio also covered additional domestic, specialty, craft-style, and imported brands. The business operated primarily as an American market company, although its brand rights included the United States and Puerto Rico. The ownership structure remained divided between SABMiller and Molson Coors during the first phase of its existence. MillerCoors later became involved in the restructuring required for Anheuser-Busch InBev's acquisition of SABMiller. In order to address United States competition concerns, SABMiller agreed to divest its MillerCoors interests and related Miller brand rights. On October 11, 2016, SABMiller sold its stake to Molson Coors for approximately US$12 billion. Molson Coors consequently became the 100 percent owner of MillerCoors and retained rights to the relevant U.S. and Puerto Rico portfolio, including Redd's and imported brands such as Peroni, Grolsch, and Pilsner Urquell. The company also adjusted its production network. In September 2015, it announced that the Eden, North Carolina brewery would close in September 2016, citing declining corporate sales. The decision generated a dispute with Pabst Brewing Company and Blue Ribbon Intermediate Holdings, which wanted to continue producing Pabst beers at the site. The parties ultimately settled in late November 2018, before the case reached a verdict. MillerCoors's independent corporate identity ended during Molson Coors's 2020 restructuring. Effective January 1, 2020, Molson Coors Brewing Company adopted the name Molson Coors Beverage Company. The group reorganized its four business units into Molson Coors North America and Molson Coors Europe and retired the MillerCoors corporate brand name. The former company therefore remains historically important as the structure through which Molson Coors and SABMiller combined their U.S. beer operations, but it is no longer a separate operating company under that name.

1. 2020Corporate name retired

   Molson Coors Beverage Company consolidated the former MillerCoors business into Molson Coors North America and discontinued the MillerCoors corporate name.

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2. 2018Eden-related litigation settled

   MillerCoors and Pabst-related entities settled their dispute concerning continued brewing at the Eden facility.

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3. 2016Molson Coors becomes sole owner

   Molson Coors acquired SABMiller's MillerCoors stake for approximately US$12 billion following the SABMiller acquisition by Anheuser-Busch InBev.

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4. 2015Eden brewery closure announced

   MillerCoors announced the planned September 2016 closure of its Eden, North Carolina brewery.

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5. 2008Regulatory approval and launch

   The venture was approved on June 5, completed on June 30, and began operations on July 1.

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6. 2007Joint venture announced

   SABMiller and Molson Coors announced plans to combine their U.S. brewing, marketing, and sales operations.

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A large-scale American beer operator combining mainstream domestic brands with light beer, specialty, craft-style, and imported offerings.

• Miller LiteLight beer

  A principal light-beer label associated with the Miller portfolio managed by MillerCoors in the United States.

• Coors LightLight beer

  A major Coors light-beer brand included among the best-known offerings connected with MillerCoors's U.S. portfolio.

• Blue MoonSpecialty beer

  A specialty beer brand associated with MillerCoors and positioned outside the company's core mainstream light-lager labels.

• Redd'sFlavored beer

  A brand included in the U.S. and Puerto Rico rights retained by Molson Coors after its acquisition of SABMiller's MillerCoors interest.

• PeroniImported beer

  An imported beer brand whose U.S. and Puerto Rico rights were included among the brands retained by Molson Coors in the 2016 ownership transaction.

• GrolschImported beer

  An imported beer label identified as part of the relevant MillerCoors portfolio rights transferred to Molson Coors.

• Pilsner UrquellImported beer

  An imported beer brand included among the portfolio rights retained by Molson Coors for the United States and Puerto Rico.

• 2020Retire the MillerCoors corporate identityStrategy

  Molson Coors undertook a corporate restructuring and changed its corporate name to Molson Coors Beverage Company.

  What changed. The former MillerCoors business was consolidated into Molson Coors North America, and the MillerCoors corporate name was retired.

  Aftermath. MillerCoors ceased to operate as a separate corporate brand, while associated beer labels remained within the Molson Coors portfolio.

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• 2016Acquire SABMiller's ownership stakeM&A

  The Anheuser-Busch InBev acquisition of SABMiller required the divestiture of SABMiller's MillerCoors interests and related Miller rights in the United States.

  What changed. Molson Coors purchased SABMiller's stake for approximately US$12 billion and became the sole owner of MillerCoors.

  Aftermath. Molson Coors retained the relevant U.S. and Puerto Rico rights to the MillerCoors portfolio and expanded its control of the combined business.

  Purchase price. Approximately US$12 billion (October 11, 2016)

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• 2015Close the Eden breweryStrategy

  MillerCoors cited declining corporate sales when discussing the future of its Eden, North Carolina facility.

  What changed. The company announced that the brewery would close in September 2016.

  Aftermath. The closure led to a dispute with Pabst-related entities over continued production at the site; that litigation was settled in 2018.

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• 2007Create a combined U.S. brewing businessM&A

  SABMiller and Molson Coors sought to combine their U.S. brewing, marketing, and sales operations.

  What changed. They announced the MillerCoors joint venture, which was later approved and launched in 2008.

  Aftermath. The venture became the operating structure for the companies' combined American beer activities.

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• 2020Molson Coors retires the MillerCoors corporate name

  Molson Coors Brewing Company changed its name to Molson Coors Beverage Company and consolidated its former MillerCoors business into Molson Coors North America as part of a corporate restructuring.

  Leadership change
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• 2018Pabst litigation over Eden production facility is settled

  Pabst Brewing Company and Blue Ribbon Intermediate Holdings had sued in connection with continued production of Pabst beers at Eden. The parties reached a settlement in late November 2018 before a verdict.

  Lawsuit
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• 2016Molson Coors acquires SABMiller's MillerCoors stake

  Following the Anheuser-Busch InBev acquisition of SABMiller, SABMiller sold its MillerCoors interest to Molson Coors for approximately US$12 billion, making Molson Coors the sole owner.

  M&ARegulation
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• 2015MillerCoors announces closure of Eden brewery

  The company announced that its Eden, North Carolina brewery would close in September 2016, attributing the decision to declining corporate sales.

  Other
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• 2008Regulators approve the MillerCoors venture

  The proposed joint venture received regulatory approval on June 5, 2008, and was completed later that month.

  RegulationM&A
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• 2008MillerCoors begins operations

  MillerCoors began operating on July 1 after the combination of the U.S. brewing, marketing, and sales operations of its two parent companies.

  M&AOther
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• 2007SABMiller and Molson Coors announce MillerCoors joint venture

  SABMiller and Molson Coors announced plans to combine their United States brewing, marketing, and sales operations through a new joint venture.

  M&AOther
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1. MillerCoors